Phillies host Reds for three

PHILADELPHIA – As the last two months of the baseball season roll around, both the Phillies and Cincinnati Reds find themselves in a similar position of a year ago.

At the end of July last summer, the Phillies were 4½ games behind the pace-setting Montreal Expos. Cincinnati was in second, 3½ games behind the Astros. This year, the Phils are three back, the Reds four behind.

The two teams start a three-game weekend series at Veterans Stadium at 8:05 tonight.

"Considering the injuries we've had and the inconsistency of our pitching, I feel fortunate that we're still within striking distance of the leaders," said Reds' Manager John McNamara.

Part of the pitching problems came from shoulder injuries to Tom Seaver and Bill Bonham, a pair of veterans. Bonham was out from May 3 until a week ago. Seaver, who's been on the disabled list since July 1, is tentatively listed to pitch Monday night in Cincinnati.

"We won't see Houston until next month," noted McNamara. "Then, we play them five times. We've got 12 games left with the Dodgers. So, we're in a position where we can help ourselves."

PHIL UPS – Cincinnati leads series with Phils, 6-3, although Philly has 2-1 edge at Vet... Mike Schmidt, who pulled his right groin in Wednesday night's win over Houston, is questionable for tonight... Bake McBride has 31 hits in last 20 games for .388 average... Rookie Ron Oester has started last five games for Reds for slumping Junior Kennedy. He's collected 10 hits for .335 mark... Johnny Bench trails Dave Parker of Pirates for most homers at Vet among visitors, 16-15... Phillies, who have won 5-of-7 on home stand, finished July, 15-14... Wednesday's win gave them a 9-3 final mark over Houston, the Phils' best record against the Astros since 1967 when they were 11-7... Pitching matchups for the weekend: tonight – rookie Bob Walk against Bill Bonham; tomorrow – Steve Carlton goes for No. 17 against Mike LaCoss and Sunday, Nino Espinosa vs. Bruce Berenyi... After an off-day Monday, Cardinals end this home stand with three night games.

J.R. Richard Stable

HOUSTON (AP) – Houston Astros fastball specialist JR Richard was in stable condition Thursday after emergency surgery to remove a blood clot surgeons said threatened his life.

Team spokesman Rick Rivers, in a statement from doctors at Methodist Hospital who performed the two-hour operation Wednesday night, said that while surgery on the right-hander was successful, “there is an obvious weakness in his left arm and left leg.”

“There were apparent signs and neurological symptoms, indicating impairment of circulation to the brain which would be suggestive of a stroke," the statement said.

Richard, the National League's ERA leader last season at 2.71, had compiled a 1.89 average before complaints of a “dead arm” led Astros officials July 16 to place him on the team’s 21-day disabled list.

The major league’s strikeout king left the mound early in 10 of his last 17 starts, prompting criticism from teammates and fans.

Hospital tests last week detected an arterial circulation impairment in the right shoulder area, but doctors had said surgery would not be necessary.

The 30-year-old pitcher collapsed Wednesday morning during a workout at the Astrodome. Further tests detected a blood clot in the neck, and surgery was performed about 12 hours after an ambulance rushed him back to Methodist.

Tests performed after Richard reentered the hospital showed blockage in one of the arteries leading to the brain, indicating a stroke possibly had occurred, Rivers said.

Drs. Charles McCollum III and George Noon determined after their examination that immediate surgery was required to restore “good circulation to the arm, neck and brain,” Rivers said.

Doctors said the subclavian artery, located under the right collarbone, was the affected blood vessel.

After discovering the weaknesses Thursday in Richard's limbs, doctors said they hoped “the weakness may be transient in nature due to the edema and swelling and that it may clear up in a matter of several days,” he said.

However, doctors cautioned "that it must be recognized that there is a possibility that there may be residual weakness involving the left arm and the left leg,” Rivers said.